Rockets’ Patrick Patterson developing into offensive weapon

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As third-year Rockets forward Patrick Patterson described his sudden surge of offense — from corner 3s taken nearly as often as in his first two seasons in the league combined to the occasional two-handed, chin-up dunk — James Harden captured the change more succinctly.

Harden likely could not hear the topic of conversation from halfway across the Rockets’ locker room, but he could see who was talking, so one thought came to mind.
“Shoot it!” Harden called out, half singing.

Patterson smiled and barely paused before moving on to the virtues of balanced offense and pick-and-roll passing. More than ever, Patterson does not have to be reminded to put up shots.

“The ball seems to be dropping,” Patterson said. “I’m capitalizing on my opportunities, taking shots, (getting) a couple offensive rebounds for putbacks. My teammates are looking for me a lot more than prior to the season, and my shots have been falling.”

His offensive surge is not quite that simple, though it has been indisputable. Patterson has scored at least 20 points in the Rockets’ last three games (and four of five games) after never reaching 20 in consecutive games before. He had a career-high 27 on Tuesday against Toronto despite sitting out the bulk of the first quarter with foul trouble and most of the fourth as the Rockets closed out the rout.

This does not seem to be an aberration.

In the last 10 games since he started slowly while adjusting to the retooled offense and his role as a first-time starter, Patterson has made 55 percent of his shots (42.9 percent from beyond the arc) while averaging 17 points per game.

After attempting just five 3-pointers in his first two seasons, most to beat the shot clock and all missed, he has made 12 of 32 3-pointers this season, including six of 12 last week.

He has improved so markedly as a range shooter that he received the ultimate NBA compliment — a place in opposing teams’ game plans.

“They’ve been contesting me out to the corner,” Patterson said. “Serge Ibaka was contesting shots; same with Utah. Prior to that, people would just leave me open. Talking with Kevin (Martin), he actually said I was on the scouting report in Oklahoma City for the corner 3. I think teams are starting to respect that part of my game more and more.

“I didn’t think that would ever happen. Working on my 3 this summer, I never thought I’d be taking it every single game. I thought I’d be taking it every now and then. If I can take it every game and knock it down on a consistent basis, it’s going to help this team.”

Guards could benefit
If Patterson can fit in the recent trend toward range-shooting power forwards, he can bring valuable court spacing for pick-and-roll ballhandlers Harden and Jeremy Lin.

Long before either had become vital parts of the Rockets’ rebuilding, coach Kevin McHale, himself once the prototypical low-post scorer at power forward, instructed Patterson and Luis Scola to work on their 3-point shooting.

For McHale, that represented fully embracing the idea of using big men to spread the floor. For Patterson, it (and the subsequent summer release of Scola) was an opening to assume a greater role in the offense.

“Pat’s a hard worker,” acting head coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Some guys will have a good game now and then, just because they’re talented. Pat’s put games together because he works at it.

“I think he feels now he’s part of the offense.”

Thinking big
Patterson has become so much more confident in his shot, he has joked about getting a spot in the All-Star Weekend’s 3-point contest. He quickly added that despite the increase, he does not take or make enough 3s to be included in that group.

More than a result of his own increased confidence, however, he said he is looking for his shot more often because teammates now expect that of him.

“My teammates are looking for me,” Patterson said. “If I’m knocking them down, I’m going to keep shooting them. My teammates having that confidence, passing to me when I’m on the perimeter, makes me want to shoot it more.”

He got the message, even before Harden sang “Shoot it” in the locker room.